Hardship does not just impact individuals, but also families. Have you ever wondered what-makes-families-resilient? Family Resiliency is defined as the family’s ability to “withstand and rebound from disruptive life challenges, strengthened and more resourceful” (Walsh, 2011, p 149). Dr. Walsh is an expert of family resiliency.
There is a lot of information and research pertaining to mothers on pregnancy, birth/ delivery, and postpartum depression. There is also some helpful information available for fathers, who can experience symptoms of postpartum depression. But what about ME?What if I fall outside the heterosexual partnered relationship? Yes, this information applies to you too!
Family and friends may be become quite involved in one’s rituals. When an individual is confronted on their behaviors, the range of experiences can include anxiety, panic attacks, disgust, and feelings of unsettledness. The time spent on compulsions are time consuming or cause significant distress. Avoidance of situations, disruption or delay of plans, and distress within relationships are a few examples.
When you look behind the lens of high-functioning-anxiety, here is what you often find— Type A personalities, over-achievers, and those who hold high standards for perfectionBusy individuals who are productive with their use of time, People who are viewed as successful and accomplished on the outside but often silently struggle on the inside.
To foster resilience in youth, parents, caregivers, and professionals may need to start with some self-reflection. For a moment, close your eyes and imagine your 14-year-old self. You overhear two different conversations.
Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) such as abuse, neglect, and household dysfunction are potentially traumatic events in childhood that have been linked to increased risk to negative outcomes in adulthood. Aversive community environments can also have a traumatic impact. These include factors such as communities with high poverty rates, violence, poor housing quality, and limited supports/ resources.
Two out of three parents are saying that they are “extremely” or “very” worried about the mental health status in young people, according to a Harris poll. The youth-mental-health-crisis is a concern for most Americans, especially parents who are seeing a worsening their children’s mental health since the pandemic.
Minnesota’s school counselor to student ratio was one of the worst in the nation at 1 counselor per 734 students.
Social media rumors, including “challenges” that encourage acts of defiance or violence, and the fear of school shootings recently had children, parents, and law enforcement supports on high-alert in response to a tiktok-school-threat warning. This warning was dismissed as not credible; however, many still feeling emotionally unsettled. Depression, anxiety, and responses such as fear impact can result from school violence and impact mental health. In 2021 alone, it was estimated that there were 149 incidents of gunfire-on-school-grounds, 32 deaths, and 94 injuries nationwide.
Childhood mental health concerns have been on the rise over the last 10 years but significantly increased since 2020. Stressors associated with the COVID-19 pandemic and racial inequality have only exacerbated underlying mental health concerns in our youngest patients.
